Modric predicts top 4 challenge for Spurs but what do Everton, Portsmouth and Villa have to say?

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Modric predicts top 4 challenge for Spurs but what do Everton, Portsmouth and Villa have to say?

Posted by: Rob Facey, Fri 8th Aug 2008

Tagged: Premiership, Aston Villa, Everton, Portsmouth, Tottenham

Football FanCast columnist Rob Facey assesses Tottenham’s chances of finishing in the top four this season after new boy Luka Modric has revealed this is what he expects of his team mates. Everton, Villa, Portsmouth and Man City may have something to say about that!

Luka Modric, the Croatian midfielder who joined Spurs at the tail end of last season, has already outlined his high hopes for his debut season in England.

After impressing at Euro 2008 and in pre-season, Modric believes that he can repay the £16.5m Ramos paid to bring the 22 year old to England by targeting a Champions League spot.

"I will justify the money Tottenham invested in me. The first target has to be to threaten the big four," Modric said, as reported in The Telegraph.

"We're capable of achieving some really good results."

Does Modric expect Spurs to realistically challenge for the top four, or is he just telling the fans what they want to hear?

Modric led Ramos’ summer signing spree which also saw Heurelho Gomes, David Bentley and Giovanni Dos Santos join the ranks at White Hart Lane, but is that enough to make the transition up?

Robinson and Keane, two Tottenham stalwarts over recent years have gone, and Berbatov still might leave before the window shuts. The mental state of the Bulgarian must be questionable after being teased by a move to Old Trafford all summer.

So do the signings compensate these losses?

And what about the rivals? Everton have brought in nobody this summer and David Moyes is becoming increasingly furious at the situation. It is unlikely that they will finish fifth again.

Aston Villa have been so disrupted by the Gareth Barry affair that they have only just started to sign players – Nicky Shorey means that they have actual real defenders rather then plucking a fan from the stands to plug the holes in O’Neill’s squad and Steve Sidwell will be chomping at the bit.

Whether Pompey will be able to maintain their level of success domestically and in Europe remains to be seen but they have bought well. Crouch and Defoe promises to be an exciting partnership this season.

Man City will be as inconsistent as ever, as will Newcastle and Blackburn.

As far as I can tell, the fight for fifth will consist of Spurs, Villa and Pompey. Threatening perhaps, but breaking into the top four this year maybe a little premature.

But then again, it is the week before the season starts, we’re all allowed to dream. Even Luka Modric.

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villaMAD

Frankly, i can see a good

Frankly, i can see a good shake up at the top of the table... got a sneaking suspicion Liverpool will drop easy points this year leaving it open for these other clubs. The top 3 wont change, and will finish in the same order - Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal... 4th? Could be any of these clubs.... As a Villa fan, id love to see them crack the top 4, but have to agree, it may be a little premature, especially without a another winger and a another forward... It wont be Spurs tho, they might have bagged Bentley, but with Berbatov going and Keane gone, they dont have the striking power needed to crack the top of the table. Looking forward to seeing the Crouch/Defoe partnership at Pompey... high and speed, kinda like Gabby and Big John at Villa... going to be an interesting season!

spurfect one

only spurs an everton have a

only spurs an everton have a chance of getting in the top 4 spurs have got more quality than villa everton or portsmouth, but everton have one of the best managers in the country moyes always gets everton playing well although they have a thin squad they can not be written off. as for villa and pompey good teams but no chance.

Pongo Waring

As a Villa fan, my

As a Villa fan, my confidence is increasing but I can see a very interesting battle. I think if either Arsenal or Liverpool (more likely) get off to a shaky start they could end up under pressure because there a few teams below with resources and/or good managers. If Everton do get some strength in, they'd join Villa, Spurs and Man City in that mix for me. What is certain, I think, is that Spurs will be much better than last year so it really depends on where they are picking their extra points up from. Knocking lower teams over will help them obviously but one of the chasing pack has to come out on top overall in the head-to-heads and against Liverpool to make real headway.

Rotterdam82

I agree with VillaMad in his

I agree with VillaMad in his commments about Liverpool dropping easy points this season. Their team is full of randoms and this is why they will struggle. Although i have to admit Keane and Torres upfront is a mouth watering prospect. As for the others Everton will struggle imo as they have not made many additions to their squad. Spurs for all their signings i feel will take time to gel, i know this is what pre-season is for, but only time will tell if they can pull it off. I feel the loss of Keane and possibly Berbatov will hit them hard and they will struggle should they not get suitable replacements. Portsmouth will flatter to deceive, but the little n large strike partnership will be good for them. As for the MIGHT VILLA, MON is slowley but surely bringing in quality players, Shorey, Sidwell, Friedel are all class. Young i know nothing about, and Guzan was much sort after. A few more signings, like Kaboul and a class forward should see us improve on last seasons 6th place. GB will be hard to replace should Liverpool finally cough up for him, but im sure we will cope : )

zorbathespur

I was impressed by what

I was impressed by what Ramos achieved up to the CC final with a team he obviously did not rate. Having been backed by Levy to forge his own side I am excited by what we could acheive this season. I read somewhere that Ramos' points tally up to CC final, averaged over a season, would net us 70+points and 4th spot. Lets see if he can keep a run going over a season.

Joseph

Out of the 4 teams listed,

Out of the 4 teams listed, only Tottenham show the necessary ambition every Summer to actually mount a serious charge at a top 4 slot. They have brought in the likes of Modric, Bentley and Gomes and of course the highly rated Dos Santos. These players would not entertain the idea of playing for the other 3 teams mentioned. Everton lack funds, Villa lack pulling power and their manager has never bought a top, top quality player in his entire career(Shorey, Sidwell, Young...all mediocre Prem players and a classic example of O'Neill purchases. Solid but never going to challenge the top 4)and Pompey lack both. Spurs at least aim high when making their Summer deals...Villa, Arshavin etc all heavily linked and they have a manager respected throughout Europe that top players want to play for. Having said all that though, the top 4 will remain the top 4 for next season at least!!!

Mike Rowe

The top 4 are a hard act to

The top 4 are a hard act to split up but this has to be the best chance for some time. Everton may not have spent but they have a strong team and will be getting points in the way they always do, Pompey could also do well. Good manager is Mr Rednap and he has a solid squad but injuries could be their undoing. Man City look like they could be loosing their billionaire and they have not looked like breaking anything apart from legs so far. Spurs have bought well and a new look is appearing at the Lane. Dos Santos looks an absolute bargain and the Midfield has loads of quality. If Berbatov stays and gets his head right and the defensive centre backs stay fit then who knows. And dare I say it that Arsenal look to be the most likely to drop out of the top 4. Cashburden Grove has limited their buying for a while now and they have to be the team most vulnerable. I admit I am a Spurs fan but have tried to be unbiased here and see it as a good year for the teams looking to break the top 4 cartel.

AmericanSpur

Give me a break. Has to be

Give me a break. Has to be one of the dumbest non-issues I hear about from this side of the pond. I would hope that every team and every player believes they can win the league every year or why the hell are they playing football? If the New York Giants had said to themselves last August "boy, those other guys are so good, the best we can hope for is to maybe make the playoffs?" does anyone think they'd have made it to, and incidentally *won*, the super bowl? How many athletes are at the olympics right now thinking to themselves "I know. I'll aim for bronze. It's the best I can do since everyone else is said to be better than me..."? Or is this just European "realism" kicking in and the "over optimistic" American side of me is just being silly? Why should Spurs aim for 4th? Aim for 1st for chrissakes!

villarob

Joseph - Just because you

Joseph - Just because you spend 15 mill plus for players doesnt make them good. Modric was good at the Euros, woooo so what ?? So was Baros.. Modric and the other fella you bought are not proven in the premiership. Also I would hardly call Ashley Young an average signing. Villa have equal chance as Spurs of breaking the top 4, more in my opinion.

knower

http://www.arsenalspot.webs.c

http://www.arsenalspot.webs.com - I went to the site and it has video highlights of every Arsenal game. YAY. finally there is one. And it comes right after games too.